Vending-machine.



H. S. MILLS. VENDING MACHINE. APPLIOATVION FILED DEC. 23. 1911.

Patented Sept. 10,1912.

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H. S. MILLS. VENDING MAGHINE.

APPLIOATION'I'ILED DEC. 23, 1911.

1,038,178. Patented Sept. 10,1912.

H. S. MILLS. VENDING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 23, 1911. I

I Patented Sept. 10, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

rzwfiym H. S. MILLS.

VENDING MACHINE. APPLICATION IIYLED 13110.23, 1911.

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Patented Sept. 10, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

HERBERT S. MILLS, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS.

VENDING-MACHINE.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 10, 1912.

Application filed December 23, 1911. Serial No. 667,539.

Be it known that I, HERBERT S. MILLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Park, in the county of Cook and Stateof' Illinois, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Vending-Machines, of which the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to an improvement in the class of coin-controlled machines for vending measured quantities of 1nerchan dise sold in bulk and stored for the supply in a receptacle Sui-mounting the case of the machine to be fed by gravity to the delivery mechanism. a

The present machine has been, devised more especially for the automatic vending of salted peanuts, though it is also useful for the vending of other nuts and articles in bulk.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows the machine by a view in side elevation; Fig. 2 is a broken view of the same in front elevation; Fig. 3 is a section on the irregular line 3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4., Fig. 3, but showing a portion of the top of the casing to which a brush is secured' F ig. 5 is a broken section on line 5, Fig. i; Fig. 6 is a section on line 6, Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a section on line 7, Fig. 3, and Fig. 8 is a section on line 8, Fig. 3.

The casing 9, shown of rectangular shape, with rubber-tipped feet 10 at the corners of its base 11, has an opening 12 in its top 13 which is covered by the mouth of a glass jar or receptacle 1& for salted peanuts, or

the like, provided with a lock-equipped hinged cover 15. Adjacent to the receptacle is mounted in an opening through the top a metal head 16 having a coin-insertion slot 17 at the ends of which project toward each other, into the coin-path, springpressed hard-metal blocks 18 (Fig. 8 provided with sharp opposing ends 19. A proper coin (as a penny) used for operating the machine will force these blocks apart by inserting it through the slot, but they will, under'the force of the sprin s, indent or out into a lead, paper or other d sk of soft material attempted to be used for the operation and arrest the passage between them, thus frustrating such attempt at fraudulent operation.

' edge-depressions between its four shown of crescent shape, to register with the opening 12, in which latter depends rigdly a brush-device 22 for the purpose hereinafter explained. In the bottom of the box 20 is provided, to one side of its center, a discharge-opening 23 registering with the inner end of a delivery-spout 2 1 projecting through the front wall of the casing and having a fingerequipped hinged lid 25 covering its outer discharge end and held yieldingly closed by a spring 26 (Fig. 6). A cup 27, to receivethe discharge from the spout, is pivotallysupported between arms 28 extending from the front edge of'the base 11. In the box 20.is centrally jour-- naled, to be rotated therein horizontally a wheel 29 containing four similar pockets 30 equidistant apart about itscenter, to reg-- ister with the opening 12, for filling the pocketsby gravity from the receptacle 1 1,

and-to register in succession with the open- 1ng 23 for discharging the contents of one pocket intov the spout 24 by each operation of the machine. It isto be noted that the crescent shaped opening 21 is out eccentrically of the center of rotation of the pocketequipped Wheel 29, so that as the'whe'el is rotated with its upper surface in contact with the under surface of the box-top 20 the edges of the crescent shaped opening will produce a shear across the surface of the wheel and assist the brush in keeping the top of the wheel'clear of salt and crumbs. of the'nuts and prevent the same Working into the operating mechanism.

A metal plate 31 is fastened to one end of the box 20 for supporting a coin-chute 32 to registerat its receiving-end with the slot 17 and at its opposite end with the coin-operated mechanism. This mechanism comprises a horizontal shaft 33 journaled near its outer end in the plate and at its inner end in an angular bearing 31 depending from the bottom of the box 20, where the shaft-carries a beveled gear 35 meshing with a similar car 36 on a vertical shaft 3! journaled in centrally through the box 20 to carry it. On the outer. end of the shaft 33 is secured a ratchet-wheel 38, held against reverse turning by a spring-pressed detent 39, and provided centrally on its inner face with a star-wheel 40 presenting shallow V-shaped oints, and about its outer face, near the periphery,

at bearing and extending with four studs 41 equidistant apart. A

lever 42, fulcrumed at one end to the plate and held at its opposite end by a spring 43, crosses the star-wheel and is formed between its ends with a'V-shaped section to engage successively with the depressions in the starwhereby each operation of the machine, in

turning the star-Wheel through a quarterrevolution, moves the lever to actuate the counter to register. the operation thereon. The shaft 33 carries loosely on its outer end,

- which is pointed as shown, a disk 47 having mg' the cups 30 in registr with the opening on its outer face a central boss 48 containing a diametrical slot 49 and with which is 'connected at a stud 50 a retracting spring 51. A finger 52 projects from the periphery of the disk to engage a stop 53in its path on the plate for preventing undue turnin of the disk by the force of its retracting sprlng; and an arc-shaped'flange 5 4 is provided on the inner face of the disk to be concentric and coiiperate with the studs 41 in'succession.

' The side of the casing which covers the plate 31 is key-locked and removable, and

-' has journaled in it a shaft 55 carrying on the lnner end a head 56 provided on its face with a diametrical key-portion orpro- 'jection to register with and enter the slot 49 for engaging the shaft 55 withthe shaft 33.

The pointed endofthe shaft 33 passes through a central opening in the said 'pro- 'jection to enter asocket 57 in the. head 56 for centering the shaft 55, which carries on its outer end an operating crank-handle working, to limit its throw, between stops 58 onthe outer face of theremovable casingside (Fig. 1). i

To operate the machine with the receptacle supplied, say, with salted peanuts fill- 21, the procedure is as ollows: A coin 59 (Fig. 7) pressed through the-slot 17 past the blocks 18, drops through the chute against the shaft 33 and between a stud 41 and the adjacent end of the flange 54. Thereupon turning the crank turns the disk 47 to bear the end of the flange 54 against the coin in'its path, and presses the coin against the opposing stud. 41 to turn the ratchet until the coin drops from its position of lodgment. Thus turning the ratchet turns the shaft 33 against the resistance of the brake-lever upon the star-wheel, and the shaft 37 to turn the wheel 20 througha quarter revolution, thereby bringing a pocket into registration with theopening 23 to discharge its contents into the spout. 'Fur-,

tibn to discharge.

The brush 22is an important feature of the device in serving to keep the upper surface "of the wheel free from salt and other matter accumulating upon it from the nuts. Without the brush to prevent such accumulation it would clog-and disorganize the machine. The hinged spout-lid 25is another import-ant feature rendering the machine sanitary, sinee it prevents the operator from placinghis hand under the discharge-end of the spout and requires him to manipulate the cover to open the spout for producing the discharge therefrom into the cup 27, which adds to the sanitary pro erty of the machine by being adapted to e tilted to empty it of its contents rather than scooping them out by hand. 7

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

In a vending machine of the character described, the combination of a casing having a top-opening, a box in the casing having a top receiving-opening located beneath the opening in the casing and a bottom discharge-opening, a pocket-containing receiving. and delivery wheel centrally journaled in the box, with its upper surface moving in contact with the box-top, the top receivingopening beingsubstantially crescent shaped and out eccentricallyof the journal of the wheel, a brush mounted in said crescent shaped opening adjacent its central portion and extending across the greater portion thereof, said brush depending through said opening into contact with the upper surface of said delivery wheel, and means for rotating said wheel. HERBERT S. MILLS.

In presence of L. Hnisnan,

R. SCHAEFER. 

